Governor



April 4, 1939. A. P. THOMAS GOVERNOR FiledAug. 16, 1937 5 Sheets-Sheet lElva H/s Arron/v5 K5.

April 4, 1939. AT THOMAs 2,153,125

GOVERNOR Filed Aug. 16, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 llllmm WH'FTH' A. P.THOMAS April 4, 1939..

GOVERNOR Filed Aug. 16, 195'? 3 Sheets-Sheet .3

14/5 Hrro ENE/5,

Patented Apr. 4, 1939 PATIENT OFFICE covnnnon Alden P. Thomas, Canton,Ohio, assignor to The Timken Roller Bearing Company, Canton, Ohio, acorporation of Ohio Application August 16, 1937, Serial No. 159,315

14 Claims. (01. 123-98) This invention relates principally to speedregulating devices for internal combustion engines and more particularlyto governors for automatically controlling the output of fuel pumps forsuch engines. One of the objects of the present invention is to providea completely enclosed, self-contained compact device of simple andeconomical construction which will automatically control the speed ofthe engine at both idling and high speeds in all throttle positions.Another object is to enable the fuel supply to be cut off r in anyposition of the throttle or governor. Other objects-are to provide foradjusting the idling and high speeds of the engine and the maximum 5quantity of fuel delivered by the pump and to enable such adjustments tobe made outside the governor housing. Other objects are to enable thefuel pump to operate at full pumping capacity when starting the engineand to prevent the oper- 20 ator from overloading of the engine with toomuch fuel when running. The invention consists in the governor and inthe construction, combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafterdescribed and claimed.

25 In the accompanying drawings, which form part of this'specificationand wherein like symbols refer to like parts wherever they occur,

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a speed governor embodying my invention, thegovernor being shown 30 associated withthe cam shaft and control rod ofthe fuel pump for an internal combustion engine,

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the engine opposing end of said governor, Fig.3 is an elevation of one side of the governor,

35 Fig. 4 is an elevation of the other side of said governor,

. Fig. 5 is a vertical longitudinal section on the line 55 in Fig. 2,Fig. 6 is a similar section on the line 6-8 in 40 Fig. 2,

Fig. 7 is a vertical transverse section on the line 1-1 in Fig. 3,

Fig. 8 is a vertical central longitudinal section through the lowerportion of the governor,

45 Fig. 9 is a detail view, partly in section, showing the positionsassumed by the centrifugal weights and. the sleeve actuated thereby athigh speed,

Fig. 10 isfa plan view of the governor actuated yoke lever, a

Fig. 11 is a part sectional and part side elevational view of said yokelever,

Fig. 12 is an end view of said lever and the stop 65 device associatedtherewith,

Fig. 13 is a side view of the helical driving gear of said governor; and5 Figs. 14 and 15 are side and end views, respectively of the controlrod actuating lever.

The centrifugal speed regulating device or governor shown in theaccompanying drawings comprises a housing A having a top opening, whichis closed by a removable cover I, and axially alined openings 2 and 3 inits respective end Walls, through which a drive shaft B extends. 10

As shown in the drawings, said drive shaft comprises a section 4 adaptedto be driven by and in unison with a compression ignition internalcombustion engine (not shown), and a section 5 that has one or more cams6 thereon for actuating 15 the pistons of a suitable fuel pump (notshown), which is provided with a horizontally reciprocable control rodl'for varying the quantity of fuel supplied by said pump to the workingcylinders of said engine. As shown in the drawings the control rod 1extends into the governor housing through an opening 8 provided thereforin the pump opposing end wall of'said housing.

The section 4 of the main drive shaft B is journaled in a suitableantifriction bearing 9 located in the opening 2 in the engine opposingend wall of the governor housing A; and the section 5, which forms thecam shaft of the fuel pump, extends through the opening 3 in the pumpopposing end wall of said housing and has a reduced end portion that isthreaded into-the adjacent end of the shaft section 4. Mounted on theadjacent ends of the drive shaft sections 4 and 5 is a helical gear III,which is pinned to the shaft section 4 and is keyed to the shaft section5. The helical gear ill drives a helical gear Ii formed on a verticalshaft 12 located in the pump housing at one side of the helical gearIll. The lower end of the shaft I2 is supported in a suitableantifriction bearing l3 supported in a seat It provided therefor in thelower portion of the governor housing- The governor housing is providedat its upper end with an opening which is closed by a threaded cap IS.The upper end of the vertical shaft I 2 is provided with a rollerbearing comprising an outer bearing member l6 seated in the cap IS, aninner bearing member l1 sleeved on said shaft and adjustable endwisethereof by means of nuts l8 threaded on the upper end thereof, andbearing rollers l9 interposed between said bearing members. Sleeved onthe vertical shaft I2 between upper and lower spring seat members 20 and2|, respectively, are one or more compression springs 22,hereinafter'referred to as high I of said lever.

speed springs. The lower spring seat 2| seats on an annular shoulder 23provided therefor on the upright shaft l2; and the upper spring seat 20is pressed upwardly by said springs against the lower end of the innerbearing member ll of the upper bearing for said shaft and thus serves topress said inner bearing memberagainst the lowermost of the two springadjusting nuts l8 on the upper end of said shaft.

A thrust sleeve 24 is slidably mounted on the vertical shaft l2 and isadapted to be slid upwardly on said shaft into abutting relation withthe lower spring seat 2| and against the pressure of the high speedsprings 22 by means of a pair of weighted centrifugal levers 25 that arepivotally supported one on each side of said shaft on horizontal pivots26 carried by pairs of ears or lugs 210. on the upper end of a spider 21that is pinned to said shaft just above the helical gear thereon. Eachof these centrifugal levers is provided at the end remote from itsweighted end with a finger 28, which is adapted to abut against thelower end of the thrust sleeve 24 and. slide it upwardly on the shaftl2, and'a finger 29, which is adapted to abut against the spider 21 andlimit'the outward swinging movement of said weighted end Mounted on theupper end of the thrust sleeve, against movement axially thereof is asuitable ball thrust bearing 38.

Journaled on a horizontal shaft 3| that extends from side wall to sidewall of the governor housing A, at one side of the vertical shaft I2, isa lever 32 having one arm in the form of a yoke 32!: that straddles thevertically slidable thrust "sleeve 24 and thrust bearing 38 and isprovided with horizontal pins 33 that overhang and cooperate with theupper surface of said bearing. The other or depending arm 34 of the yokelever 32 extends downwardly in the housing and is pivotally connected,as at 35, at its free lower end with one end of a link 36, whoseopposite end is pivotally connected, as at 31, to an upright lever 38intermediate between the ends thereof. w v

The upper end of the upright lever 38 is provided with a downwardlyopening notch 39 that straddles the adjacent end of thepump control rod1, which has a lateral abutmentmember or pin 40 thereon that projects onopposite sides thereof with its ends fitting within downwardly openingnotches 4| formed in theopposite side walls of the main control rodreceiving notch .39. The lower end of the upright lever '38 fits betweenand is pivotally connected, as at 42, to the outer ends of a. pair ofears or lugs 43 that project radially. from' a horizontal shaft 44,-

which extends transversely of the governor housing with its ends 10 ings45 provided therefor in the side walls of said housing.

One end of the horizontal shaft 44 extends outside of the governorhousing A and has a manually operable control arm 46 fixed thereto. Thecooperating portions of the shaft and arm are provided with interfittingribs and grooves 41, whereby said arm may be anguiarly adjusted on saidshaft. The hub portion of said am is split and provided with a clampingscrew 48 for locking said arm in the desired position of its angularadjustment. The swinging movement of the manual control arm'46 islimited in one direction to limit the maximum feed of the pump by anadjustable stop screw 48 and in the opposite direction to control theminimum fuel ed in suitable bearfeed by a similar adjustable stop screw50. These stops limit the operator's control over the output of the fuelpump.

The .pins 33 of the yoke 32a of the lever 32 are held down on the thrustbearing 30 On the vertical shaft l2 by means of a helical compressionspring 5| (hereinafter referred to as the idling speed spring). Thisspring is supported at its lower end on a lug or arm 52 that projectsfrom the hub of theyoke lever 32; and the upper end of said spring bearsagainst the lower end of a screw 53 that is threaded vertically throughthe cover I of the governor housing.

An adjustable stop device is provided for limiting the feed movement ofthe control rod 1 of the pump. Said device comprises a hook 54 pivoted,as at 55, to the lower arm of a lever 56 that is pivotally supported ona horizontal shaft 51 mounted in the governor housing justabove the pumpcontrol rod I. This stop hook is held in the path of the pin 40 on thecontrol rod 1 by means of a coil tension spring 540. and thus limits thefeed movement of said rod. The lever 56 may be adjusted to shift thehook lengthwise of said rod by means of an adjusting screw 58 that isthreaded vertically through the housing cover twith its lower end inabutting relation to the free upper end of the upper arm of the hooksupporting lever 56. A coil compression spring 59 is mounted in the sidewall of the governor housing adjacent to the hook supporting lever 56-and serves to hold the upper arm thereof against the lower end of theadjusting screw 58. One branch of the yoke 32a of the yoke lever 32 isextended to form a finger 32b adapted, when the governor is notoperating, to press down on a lug 68 on the stop hook 54 so as to swingthe same clear of the control rod pin 40 and thus permit said rod to bemoved beyond the maximum feed position established by said hook when itis in engagement with said control rod pin. The mechanism for shiftingthe control rod 1 in a direction that will completely shut off thesupply of fuel to the engine and thus stop the operation thereofcomprises a stop hook 6| that is fixed to the horizontal shaft 51 and isadapted to be swung into engagement with the upright lever 38 when saidshaft is manually rotated by means of an arm 62 fixed thereto outside ofthe governor housing; The stop arm 62 cured to said arm.

The operation of the hereinbefore described speed governoris as follows:

when the manually operable control or throttle arm 48 is set for idlingspeed, as shown in Fig. 3, such speed is insuflicient to swing thecentrifugal levers 25 out far enough to lift said sleeve into engagementwith the lower seat 2| for the relatively strong high speed springs 22and a uniform idling speed is maintained by the relatively weak idlingspeed spring 5| and when said control or throttle arm is set for highspeed, the greater centrifugal force is sufficient to swing thecentrifugal levers out far enough to raise the thrust sleeve high enoughto compress the high speed springs 22 and thus bring them into operationto maintain a uniform high speed. During both idling and high speeds theidling speed spring 5| operates to hold the yoke pins 33 of theyokelever 3| down on the thrust bearing 38 and the governor action istransmitted between the thrust sleeve 24 and the pump control rodthrough the yoke lever 3|, link 36 and upright lever 38. During thegovernor operation, the upright lever 38 swings on the pivot 42 carriedby the manually rotatable control shaft 44 and operates'to shift thepump control rod in a direction that will reduce the fuel supply whenthe speed of the engine increases and to shift said rod in the oppositedirection and increase the fuel supply when the speed of the enginedecreases. However, when the pump control rod is manually set oroperated by manipulating the control arm 46, the upright lever 38 swingsabout its pivotal connection 31 with the link 36.

The idling spring is adjusted by means of the screw 53; and the highspeed spring 22 is adjusted by means of the bearing retaining nuts l8 onthe upper end of the vertical shaft I2. This vertical shaft, togetherwith the parts mounted thereon, may be inserted in and removed from thegovernor housing A through the opening closed by the cover I. The highspeed springs 22 rotate with the vertical supporting shaft l2 thereforand thus do not transmit any load to the ball thrust bearing 30, whichtakes only the relatively light load imparted thereto by the idlingspeed spring 5|. I

The external control or throttle arm 46 is capable of manual operationindependently of the governor mechanism either when manual operation isdesired and when it is desired to, set the governor at idling speed orhigh speed or any speed intermediate therebetween.

The adjustable stop hook 54 limits the maximum fuel supply for a givenspeed setting of the throttle or control arm 46 and thus prevents theoperator from overloading the engine with too much fuel and thus causingit to smoke. The adjusting screw 58 in the cover I, of the governorhousing allows the stop hook 64 to be set in any desired position tolimit the maximum quantity of fuel supply. As the maximum'travel of thepump control rod during the operation of the engine does not provide aquantity of fuel .sufiicient for starting the engine, the stop hook 64is adapted to automatically drop clear of the pump control rod wheneverthe engine is stopped. This automatic release of the stop hook 64 isbrought about by the pressure of the finger portion or extension 32a ofone of the branches of the yoke 32 of the yoke lever 3| on the lug 60 ofsaid stop hook when the governor is not operating and the thrust sleeve24 is in its lowermost position. Thus, a greater quantity of fuel may besupplied to the engine during starting than when the engine is running.When the engine starts the centrifugal levers 25 lift the finger 32,thereby permitting the stop hook 64 to again swing into operativeposition in the path of the pin 40 on the control rod I. Thisarrangement permits the quantity of fuel to be increased when startingthe engine; and it also prevents the operator from overloading theengine and causing it to smoke while running.

The operator may stop the engine regardless of the position of thethrottle arm 46 or the operation of the governor mechanism, by movingthe stop arm 62 against the tension of the spring. 63 to swing the stophook 6| into engagement with the upright lever 38 and thus shift thepump control rod in a direction that will completely shut off the fuelsupply to the engine. This stop hook 6| is'normally held in inoperativeposition by the tension spring 63.

The governor is a completely enclosed, selfcontained, fully automaticunit. All forces due to the action of the centrifugal levers at allspeeds are taken in tension by the vertical shaft l2 and in compressionby the thrust sleeve 24, thereby decreasing the loads on and prolongingth life of the bearings for said shaft. The helical drive gearingprovides for quiet operation of the governor; and all adjustments may bequickly and easily made from conveniently located points locatedexternally of the governor housing. The adjustable stops 49 and 50 forthe throttle arm 46 limit the operator to predetermined idling and highspeeds.

Reference is hereby made to my copending application Serial No, 238,294filed November 2, 1938, for subject matter divided out of the presentapplication.

What I claim is:

1. A speed governor for internal combustion engines including a movablefuel feed control member and a shaft driven by said engine, governormeans responsive to the speed of said shaft and operatively connected tosaid fuel feed control member to actuate the same when the speed 'ofsaid shaft varies, manually operable means associated with said governormeans for actuating said movable fuel feed control member, and meansreleasable in the inoperative position only of said governor means forpreventing movement of said fuel feed control member by said manuallyoperable means beyond a predetermined fuel feed position.

2. A speed governor for interial combustion engines including a movablefuel feed control member and a shaft driven by said engine, governormeans responsive to the speed of said shaft and operatively connected tosaid fuel feed control member to actuate the same when the speed of saidshaft varies, manually operable means associated with said governormeans for actuating said fuel feed control member, and means operable inthe inoperative position only of said governor means for preventingmovement of said fuel feed control member by said manually operablemeans beyond an adiustable predetermined fuel feed position.

3. A speed governor for internal 'combustion engines including areciprocable fuel feed control member and a shaft driven by said engine,governor means responsive to the speed of said shaft and operatively.connected to said fuel feed control member to reciprocate the same whenthe speed of said shaft varies. manually operable means associated withsaid governor means for reciprocating said fuel feed control member,means cooperating with said fuel control means for limiting the travelthereof in the fuel feed direction, and means whereby said lastmentioned means is rendered inoperative in the inoperative position ofsaid governor means.

4. A speed governor for internal combustion engines including a movablefuel feed control member and a shaft driven by said engine, governormeans responsive to the speed of said shaft and operatively connected tosaid fuel control member to actuate the same when the speed of saidshaft varies, manually operable means associated with said governormeans for actuating said fuel feed control member, a stop device as*sociated with said fuel fe'ed control member for limiting the movementthereof in its fuel feed feed control member and a shaft driven by saidengine, governor means responsiveto the speed of said shaft andoperatively connected to said fuel feed control member to reciprocatethe same when the speed of said shaft varies, means associated with saidgovernor means for manually changing the position thereof, a stop deviceassociated with said fuel control member and operable only in theoperative position of said governor means to limit the travel thereof inits fuel feed direction, and means for adjusting said stop device tolengthen or shorten such travel.

6. A speed governor for internal combustion engines including areciprocable fuel feed control rod and a shaft driven by said engine,governor means responsive to the speed of said shaft and operativelyconnected to said fuel feed control rod to reciprocate the same when thespeed of said shaft varies, manually operable means associated with saidgovernor means for actuating said fuel feed control rod, a stop deviceassociated with said fuel feed control rod for limiting the movementthereof in its fuel feed direction, means for adjusting said stop devicerelative to said fuel feed control rod to lengthen or shorten suchmovement, and means operated by the movement of said governor means toinoperative position for automatically rendering said stop deviceinoperative.

'7. A speed governor for internal combustion engines including areciprocable fuel feed control i member and a shaft driven by saidengine, governor means responsive to the speed of said shaft andoperatively connected to said fuel feed control member to actuate thesame when the speed of said shaft-varies, manually operable meansassociated with said governor means for varying the setting of saidreciprocable fuel feed control mem-, her, a pivotally supported hookmember, a spring for holding said hook member in the path of an abutmentprovided therefor on said fuel feed control member to limit the travelthereof in its fuel feed direction; and means for bodily adjusting saidpivoted hook member relative to said fuel feed control member in thedirection of its reciprocating movement.

8. A speed governor for internal combustion engines including areciprocable fuel feed control member and a shaft driven by said engine,governor means responsive to the speed of said shaft and operativelyconnected to said fuel feed control member to actuate the same when thespeed of said shaft varies, manually operable means associated with saidgovernor means for varying the setting of said recim'ocable fuel feedcontrol member, a pivotally supported hook member, a spring for holdingsaid hook member in the path of an abutment provided therefor on saidfuel feed control member to limit the travel thereof in its fuel feeddirection, means for bodily adjusting said pivoted hook member relativeto said fuel feed control member in the direction of its reciprocating'movement, and means operated by the movement of said governor means toinoperative position for swinging said hook member clear of saidabutment.

9. A speed governor for internal combustion engines including a movablefuel feed control member and a shaft driven by said engine, governormeans responsive to the speed of said shaft and operatively connected tosaid fuel feed control member to actuate the same when the speed of saidshaft varies, manually operable means associated with said governormeans for varying the position of said fuel feed control member, a

pivotally supported hook member, a spring for holding said hook memberin the path of said fuel feed control member to limit the movementthereof in a direction that will increase the fuel feed, and means foradjusting said pivoted hook member relative to said fuel feed controlmember to vary the point in its fuel feed movement where it engages saidpivoted hook member, said means comprising a lever supporting said hookmember and a screw engaging said lever for varying the angular positionthereof.

10. A speed governor for internal combustion engines including a movablefuel feed control member and a shaft driven by said engine, governormeans responsive to the speed of said shaft and operatively connected tosaid fuel feed control member to actuate the same when the speed of saidshaft varies, means associated with said governor means for manuallyvarying the set ting of said fuel feed control member, a pivotallysupported hook member, a spring for'holding said hook member in the pathof said fuel feed control member to limitthe movement thereof in itsfuel feed direction, and means for adjusting said pivoted hook memberrelative to said fuel feed control member to vary the point in thetravel of the latter where it engages the pivoted hook member, saidmeans comprising a lever supporting said hook member and a screwengaging said lever for varying the angular position thereof, saidgovernor means including an element adapted in the inoperative positionof said governor means to engage said hook member and swing the same toinoperative position against the tension of said spring.

11. A speed governor for internal combustion engines including a movablefuel feed control member and a shaft driven by said engine, governormeans responsive to the speed of said shaft and operatively connected tosaid fuel feed control member to actuate the same when the speed of saidshaft varies, manually operable means associated with said governormeans for varying the position of said fuel feed control member, andmanually-operable means associated with said governor means for shiftingsaid control member to a position that will cut off the fuelsupply inboth operative and inoperative positions of said governor means and inall positions of the means for manually varying the position of saidfuel feed control member.

12. A speed governor for internal combustion engines including a movablefuel feed control member and a shaft driven by said engine, governormeans responsive to the speed of said shaft and operatively connected tosaid fuel feed control member to actuate the same when the speed 'ofsaid shaft varies, manually operable means associated with said governormeans for varying the position of said fuel feed control member,manually operable means associated with said governor means for shiftingsaid control member to stop position to cut off the fuel supply in bothoperative and inoperative positions of said governor means and in allpositions of the means for manually varying the position of said fuelfeed control member,'and means for normally holding said manuallyoperable stop means in inoperative position.

13. A speed governor for internal combustion engines including a movablefuel feed control member and a shaft driven by said engine, and governormeans responsive to the speed of said shaft and operatively connected tosaid fuel control member to actuate the same when the speed tion of saidgovernor to move said stop device to of said shaft varies, said meanscomprising centrifugal levers pivotally mounted on said shaft forswinging movement toward and away therefrom, a thrust sleeve mounted onsaid shaft and adapted to be shifted longitudinally thereof by theoutward movement of said centrifugal levers, a high speed spring sleevedon said shaft and adapted to be compressed by the pressure of saidthrust sleeve, a lever having one arm adapted to be actuated by themovement of said sleeve in the direction of said high speed spring, anidling speed spring operatively engaging said lever for yieldablyresisting the movement imparted thereto by said thrust sleeve, a secondlever pivotally supported at one end operatively connected at its otherend to said fuel control member, said first mentioned lever having asecond arm, and a link connecting said second arm with said second leverintermediate between the ends of the latter, manually operable means formanually shifting the pivot at one end of said second lever to swing thesame about its pivotal connection with said'link; a stop devicecooperating with said fuel feed control member for limiting the movementthereof in its fuel feed direction, and means for automatically movingsaid stop device to inoperative position in the inoperative position ofsaid governor means, said means comprising a finger on said firstmentioned arm-of said first mentioned lever adapted in the inoperativeposiinoperative position.

14. A speed governor for internal combustion engines including a movablefuel feed control member and a horizontal shaft driven by: said engine,and a governor responsive to the speed of said shaft and operativelyconnected to said fuel feed control member to actuate the same when thespeed of said shaft varies, said governor comprising a housing, bearingsfor supporting said horizontal shaft in said housing, a vertical shaftjournaled in said housing, spiral gearing connecting said shafts,centrifugal levers pivotally supported on said vertical shaft forvertical swinging movement towards and away therefrom, a thrust sleeveaxially slidable but nonrotatably mounted on said vertical shaft andadapted to be shifted vertically thereon when said centrifugal leversswing outwardly due to centrifugal force, a thrust bearing on saidthrust sleeve, a high speed spring mounted on said vertical shaft abovesaid thrust sleeve between spring seats provided therefor on said shaft,means for adjusting the tension of said high speed spring, a leverpivotally supported in said housing for vertical swinging" movementtherein, said lever having a yoke arm adapted to straddle said thrustsleeve and provided with pins adapted to be engaged by the upper end ofsaid thrust bearing, an idling speed springmounted in said housing andcooperating with said yoke lever for holding the pins of the yoke armthereof in engagement with said thrust bearing, means for adjusting saidspring, an upright lever in said housing, a manually shiftable' pivotfor supporting the lower end of said upright lever, said yoke leverhaving a depending arm, a link connecting said depending arm with saidupright lever intermediate between the upper and lower ends thereof, aconnection between the upper end of said upright lever and said fuelcontrol member, a stop device releasible by the movement of saidgovernor to inoperative position for limiting the movement of said fuelfeed control member in its fuel feed direction, means for adjusting saidstop device relative to said fuel feed control member, a hook pivoted insaid housing, manually operable means for swinging said hook intoengagement with said upright lever between the upper end thereof and thelink connection therewith to swing said lever about the pivot at thelower end thereof to shift the fuel feed control member in a directionthat will cut off the fuel supply, and means for normally holding saidhook out of engagement with said upright lever.

ALDEN P. THOMAS.

